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Billy Crystal's 61* explains why baseball is more than a sport -- it's a legacy. I've always seen sports as simple games people play. Sure, those guys out there on the field have talent, but why do athletes get paid more than doctors, teachers, and scientists? Do teachers spend a large portion of their lives hundreds of miles apart from their loving family? Other professions are indeed more important, but seldom do they get this stressful or demanding. Now I have a new appreciation for baseball and sports alike.

Good movies about baseball make the game look like a lot of fun, sharing the enthusiasm and energy of the players. 61* doesn't do that. It does contain intense sequences of ball playing, but the main goal here is examining the overworked life a ballplayer must live in order to receive his short 15 minutes of fame. This movie allows us to take part in that experience, both positive and negative.